Decorative Defect Re-Basecoating System for Cans and other Cylindrical Containers

Abstract

A quick, practical and economical method, machine and system for re-basecoating cans which have necks, flanges but also have basecoat and or decoration defects. The cans may pass by a corona /plasma treatment which removes lubricant. A main starwheel will carry the cans to a can body coating application device (such as a high durometer resilient roller), then to a can neck coating application device (similar but shaped for the neck/flange of the can). The main starwheel will carry the cans through an induction tunnel in which cans have an electrical current induced, thereby curing the cans before the cans are removed by an outfeed device and placed onto an outfeed conveyor. Hold down chucks hold the cans from the top (in addition to vacuum chucks holding the cans from the bottom) and cover the top of the cans so that the new coating material does not enter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A decoration defect re-basecoating system for cans which are already necked and decorated, comprising:
 an infeed conveyor carrying such cans;   a plasma spray dimensioned and configured to remove lubricant from such neck of such cans as the infeed conveyor carries such cans;   an infeed starwheel dimensioned and configured to remove such cans from the infeed conveyor;   a main starwheel, dimensioned and configured to rotate and to move such cans from the infeed starwheel to the main starwheel and to secure them in place on a plurality of vacuum chucks and then to rotate such cans under a plurality of hold down chucks, each hold down chuck having thereon a can cover, the can covers operative to cover the end of a respective first one of such cans whereby a coating may not enter such cans;   the main starwheel further operative to rotate each of such cans to a body coating application device and a neck coating application device, then to an induction tunnel having at least one induction coil and then to an outfeed device;   the body coating application device operative to apply the coating to such can body, the neck coating application device operative to apply the coating to such can neck;   the outfeed device operative to remove such cans from the main starwheel and place them on an exit conveyor.   
     
     
         2 . The decoration defect re-basecoating system of  claim 1 , wherein the main starwheel further comprises:
 a main starwheel plane of rotation which is horizontal.   
     
     
         3 . The decoration defect re-basecoating system of  claim 2 , wherein the body coating application is a first roller. 
     
     
         4 . The decoration defect re-basecoating system of  claim 3 , wherein the neck coating application device is a second roller. 
     
     
         5 . The decoration defect re-basecoating system of  claim 4 , wherein the outfeed further comprises: an outfeed starwheel. 
     
     
         6 . The decoration defect re-basecoating system of  claim 5 , wherein the induction tunnel further comprises: a second induction coil. 
     
     
         7 . The decoration defect re-basecoating system of  claim 7 , wherein the induction coil and the second induction coil induce an electrical current in such can whereby the coating is at least partially cured. 
     
     
         8 . The decoration defect re-basecoating system of  claim 1 , wherein the body coating application device is a first spray gun. 
     
     
         9 . The decoration defect re-basecoating system of  claim 8 , wherein the neck coating application device is a second spray gun. 
     
     
         10 . The decoration defect re-basecoating system of  claim 1 , wherein the outfeed further comprises: an outfeed vacuum plate. 
     
     
         11 . The decoration defect re-basecoating system of  claim 1 , wherein the main starwheel is operative to rotate such cans more than one time through the body coating application device and the neck coating application, whereby more than one layer of the coating may be applied to such cans. 
     
     
         12 . The decoration defect re-basecoating system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second body coating application device and a second neck coating application device, whereby more than one layer of the coating may be applied to such cans.   
     
     
         13 . A decoration defect re-basecoating machine for cans which are already necked and decorated, comprising:
 a main starwheel, dimensioned and configured to rotate and to move such cans and to secure them in place on a plurality of vacuum chucks and then to rotate such cans under a plurality of hold down chucks, each hold down chuck having thereon a can cover, the can covers operative to cover the open end of a respective first one of such cans whereby a coating may not enter such cans;   the main starwheel further operative to rotate each of such cans to a body coating application device and a neck coating application device;   the body coating application device operative to apply the coating to such can body, the neck coating application device operative to apply the coating to such can neck.   
     
     
         14 . The decoration defect re-basecoating system of  claim 1 , wherein the main starwheel further comprises:
 a main starwheel plane of rotation which is vertical.   
     
     
         15 . A method of re-basecoating defectively basecoated or decorated cans which have already been necked and basecoated, but in which cans the original basecoat or decoration has been found to be defective, the method comprising the steps of:
 a. Depalletizing defectively decorated cans;   b. Removing lubricant from the necks of the defectively decorated cans;   c. Securing the defectively decorated cans to a main starwheel having a horizontal plane of rotation;   d. Covering the openings of the defectively decorated cans so that a coating may not enter;   e. Applying at least one new basecoat to the defectively decorated cans in at least one part of the defectively decorated cans, the one part of the defectively decorated can consisting of one member selected from the list comprising:
 i. the body of the defectively decorated cans, 
 ii. the neck of the defectively decorated cans, 
 iii. combinations thereof, 
   f. Using an induction coil to cure the defectively decorated cans which have been re-basecoated;   g. Palletizing the defectively decorated cans which have been re-basecoated.   
     
     
         16 . The method of re-basecoating defectively basecoated or decorated cans of  claim 15 , wherein the step of applying at least one new basecoat to the defectively decorated cans is carried out by rolling the basecoat onto the cans. 
     
     
         17 . The method of re-basecoating defectively basecoated or decorated cans of  claim 16 , wherein the step of removing lubricant from the necks of the defectively decorated cans is carried out using a plasma spray dimensioned and configured to remove lubricant from such neck of such cans as the infeed conveyor carries such cans. 
     
     
         18 . The method of rebasecoating defectively basecoated or decorated cans of  claim 17 , wherein the step of applying at least one new basecoat to the defectively decorated cans is carried out using a coating formulated to adhere to basecoat, ink, and overvamish.